OFF GRID POWER; various thoughts on...

[AdironDoc]

Ordered the Xantrex XW6048 Thursday




from Sunelec -- good price --  $2900

http://sunelec.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6_38&products_id=54

The FIL is going to pick it up when he is down in Miami and drive it back for me

saved almost $400 shipping 

Nice unit. I hope you get great use out of it.

The cost to ship these items never fails to amaze me. My 2 Sun PV panels arrived 250 bucks later, strapped to what essentially amounted to a wall (header, footer, studs, 5/8 inch plywood). Irony was, the the other side was exposed, covered with a sheet of cardboard, and scratched along the edge leaving a jagged aluminum edge. I'll file it down but sometimes I wonder... I've got a running record of 2 returns for the last 5 items.

[MountainDon]

I'm so happy I was able to pickup many of my items locally.  

Truck freight can be a killer

30-some years ago someone drove a forklift fork through our first Vermont castings stove; right from the factory to us.

[Windpower]

Off grid, Glenn


shipping my 1800 pounds of batteries from Canada cost me   $120    -- go figure

[glenn kangiser]

Doesn't make much sense but that's how it is I guess.

[Tickhill]

My 3 orders from Sunelec cost $60 shipping each time. I had 2 shipments of 3 panels each and the panels were strapped to oak pallets with plastic corner spacers between the panels for stability and to keep them off of each other. This also made the job of moving them from one end of the truck to the lift gate a lot easier with the hand pallet jack. I am closer to Miami than most.
If you can pick them up yourself, you are better off. I had actually started putting a pencil to the costs of me driving down to Miami and quickly nixed that idea.

[Windpower]

MIL called (not FIL) and said that their friends from the Keys were going to meet them in Sarasota (IIRC)  they didn't want to drive the extra 3 hours to Miami to pick up the inverter.(they are retired and on vacation "for a month or so")

"so can you still get it shipped ?"

Sure, I guess, seems I don't have a choice

"I hope it won't cost you too much"

Oh, no problem, it is only about $400 to get it shipped

"Oh good, I was afraid it was going to be expensive"

*shaking head in disbelief*

The only reason I bought it now from Sunelec was because he said he would be happy to pick it up because he was going to FL anyway.  Otherwise I would have bought it from The SolarBiz this fall. This put a significant strain on our cash flow right now (with the Cessna annual and the $%K&***ing truck trans blowing up, real estate taxes due) 

Told my wife....


she said, yeah that is the way he is ....

I don't get it.  He is always bragging about what he does for people, and that he is a "man of his word" --- it is a side I haven't seen about him before.

Wife is not surprised at all


I don't get it at all


*end of rant*

[MountainDon]

Looks like the reason their price is so low might be because that is discontinued; still a good inverter but everyone else seems to be selling the new model that also does three phase.   That sucks on the reneging on doing the pickup

[Windpower]

alot more money for the new one though

I can't think of a good use for 3 phase at the farm

If It needs that much power I'll get a gasoline motor ....

[MountainDon]

I can't think of a good use for 3 phase at the farm

Most of us wouldn't. It's like Xantrex fixed something that didn't need fixing.

[Dave Sparks]

X probably did it for Machinists and not Farmers. Hi  Don! Been to busy to lurk, that is a damn shame!

[glenn kangiser]

I have a couple 3 phase machines that would like it....but I also have a rotary phase converter so I think I have it covered.  Now if I would just hook them up. [ouch]

[Dave Sparks]

Hey Glen,   I think we both could use a hook-em up guy....  41 inches of rain on paddy hill so far!

[glenn kangiser]

I haven't kept a total this year Dave, but I'm sure we are right there with you and more rain and maybe snow on the way.

Got your rainwater tanks full already?

My little cow water pond is starting to seal pretty good now.

[glenn kangiser]

SunElec -- sale on used (new year ago - reject for slight cosmetic flaws) Solar panels -

See their letter

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=cgx9b8cab&v=001cHaZO6NvI5XvL0G5057uWbnJjdiUONtACcaI_kG1I7090fRgas-nwETNgXsv2OVd9zKek8NQe7iQ9f8f2__tSvVs-gxp6zsr9hQ05-hez3DUajHfDQphkgRPMjm5esgzS5clzyZ7N2_Ou5lGqE1nOk87_-7WcQ_PUXZdlX2rknMmibCVb3baNg%3D%3D

.98 to 1.34 per watt. 

The .98s are laminates.

I got their grade B's and they produce right up to full capacity or better.

[Tickhill]

Glenn, got the email yesterday and it would be a good opportunity for someone who wanted to get their feet wet with RE to invest in some PV. I too am well pleased with the panels I got from Sunelec. In fact it is time for me to change tilt but may just wait til the summer. Tickhill

[glenn kangiser]

I think these panels would be as good as they say they are and would not worry about them at all.  Watts are watts.

If there was a problem I am confident they would take care of it.

[considerations]

Wow great price.  Now, if I could just buy the winning lottery ticket.

[Dave Sparks]

Did you folfs notice that Sun has a wherehouse in SF? As for their warranty keep in mind that it could cost you alot in shipping which may not be a problem now. I say may not because they still have a ways to go in the good service rating. Great price as long as you have time to hang on the line.

Hey Glen, do you know anyone who wants 4 of the 75V Dupont 100W panels from last year? I will beat the Sun price!  They were used for running 300V for my high voltage charge controller testing that Xantrex/Schneider is building.

[glenn kangiser]

I have a couple of possibilities on a need for the panels, Dave - PM me a price or I can drop by on the weekend possibly.

On dealing with Sun, I found that knowing what you want and ordering via the internet is the way to deal with them.

I don't deal with Phoenix, AZ branch - they are the worst customer service.  I have done well with Miami.

Problem with a Peoples Republic of California office is Sales Tax.... about 9%.  Once there is a store in the state I think we are stuck for Tax no matter what.

[Dave Sparks]

I would rather pay tax than shipping!

I also have a unused outback mx-60 in the box and an xw4548 inv/chg that I will swap for an xw4024.

[glenn kangiser]

I'm not sure if the shipping would go down that much but it might.

Sometimes its worth paying extra just to keep the state from getting more tax..... [ouch]

[Dave Sparks]

OK Glen,

I get the point of not giving the state the money! Truckers are much more deserving, but those 4 panels were a dollar per watt and over 300 to ship to Mariposa.

I also think that going to the belly of the beast (SF) could be even worse than the Phoenix store. They are a funny company and the owner is the funniest! He once told me that a cracked cell was not a defect but an opertunity to sell!

[glenn kangiser]

Interesting....  I think those panels exceeded UPS sizes and had to ship by truck.

Seems order before last 500 watts or so, were crystalline rather than thinfilm I got from them, and fit UPS and were cheaper.  Seems truck shipments from FLA have been running around $250.

I dealt with his daughter in Phoenix and got her on the phone only once.  After that I emailed John Kimball.  Soon I heard from her but when I tried email next order I got no response.  Finally I submitted an order to Miami on the online order form and received my order but had to decide on appropriate panels on my own with no consulting with them as they just were not available.

[Dave Sparks]

Sun does have some great deals but I just can't send a customer there knowing there is a very good chance that I will get blamed for issues that develope. The nightmares about racking systems and panels that don't fit from other forums would shock you.  So as long as you buy nice easy things from them all is well, some of the time...

[glenn kangiser]

Good to know that stuff, Dave. 

I only buy the panels from them.  I buy the 2x4 racking system at the local lumber yard... [ouch]